DU Teacher’s Firing: HC questions legality of syndicate decision

The High Court yesterday questioned the legality of the Dhaka University authorities' decision to terminate its teacher Prof Morshed Hasan Khan from his job.

On September 9 last year, the DU authorities terminated Prof Morshed, a teacher of marketing department, on charges of distorting the country's history and defaming Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The decision to dismiss Prof Morshed was made at a meeting of the university's syndicate.

Yesterday, the HC issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of DU and the government to explain in four weeks why the decision should not be declared illegal.

The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Sardar Md Rashed Jahangir came up with the rule following a writ petition filed by Prof Morshed challenging the DU authorities' decision.

Petitioner's lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua told the media that his client Prof Morshed has appealed to the DU vice-chancellor against his dismissal, but the VC has not disposed of the appeal in seven months.

On April 2, 2018, the DU authorities suspended Prof Morshed over allegations of distorting history of the Liberation War and defaming Bangabandhu and said the punishment will be effective until further notice.